Maggie Chao tells origin stories to her children and grandchildren throughout this narrative, each story from different cultures: Greek, Norse, Australian Aboriginal, Christianity. Each story parallels the stage of evolution that humanity is currently facing.

The characters are on a generations-long mission to “61 Virginis e” on the ship Sea Foam. For the first time in a decade, the Earth has tried to contact them. That’s because back on their home planet, scientists have figured out the secret to immortality, and are offering it to those on the mission as well. This causes a problem on a generational ship, though, which is built upon algorithms for population planning, health, life expectancy, and resource consumption. Since the mission has been designed to be completed by the original travelers’ descendants, the discovery changes everything. They can choose to die; they can keep their children at whatever age they desire.

Husband and wife, Maggie and João, disagree on whether to die. João thinks they must make way for the next generation; she argues they no longer must leave the hard work to their descendants. He thinks death is essential to human growth: “How can we teach our children the value of

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